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New Ross County boss Malky Mackay determined to look forward

New Ross County boss Malky Mackay determined to look forward
© Reuters
Malky Mackay apologised in 2014 for sending text messages he admitted were "disrespectful of other cultures".

Malky Mackay met up with his ghosts of yesteryear after being appointed manager of Ross County.

The 49-year-old former Cardiff, Watford and Wigan boss, who stepped down as the Scottish Football Association's performance director in November after four years in the post during which he was in interim charge of Scotland for a friendly game against Holland, replaces John Hughes who left on Monday despite steering the club to Scottish Premiership safety.

However, before Mackay's appointment was confirmed on Wednesday morning, Kenny MacLennan, supporter liaison officer for County, had tweeted: "I represent the concerns and views of the supporters.

"Regarding the rumoured imminent appointment of a new manager, I have expressed the concerns of the supporters directly to the club."

Mackay was investigated by the FA over a series of text messages exchanged between himself and his head of recruitment, Iain Moody, while he was Cardiff manager.

After the revelations in 2014, Mackay apologised for sending messages he admitted were "disrespectful of other cultures" although he was later cleared by the Football Association in July 2015.

Speaking to the media following his appointment on Wednesday, Mackay said: "That was something that was seven eight years ago now, well documented a variety of times, nothing to hide there in terms of the whole aspect of it and the interviews I went through for the next three, four years.

"Since then I have worked for another football club (Wigan), the Scottish FA and the governance of the game in Scotland for four years, been asked to be interim manager of the national team, and more recently UEFA and FIFA.

"I always try to attain to be better every day and I would hope that the people who genuinely know me and have come across me, especially in the last four years in Scottish football, make their own mind up as to who I am.

"What I can tell you is for the good of Ross County I will do everything in my power 24 hours a day to make sure the chairman and chief executive, and more importantly the fans and the community in the Highlands, are actually seeing someone wholly committed to their football club and who genuinely wants to make a difference here and help the club improve."

Asked if he had a message for the County fans, the former Celtic, Norwich and Scotland defender said: "Hold on for the ride ahead."

Mackay insists he has "unfinished business" as a manager and is excited that he has returned to the profession under Staggies chairman Roy MacGregor and chief executive Steven Ferguson.

He said: "There is a plan that Steven Ferguson and Roy MacGregor have for the club going forward.

"There seems to be an urge and wish to bring best practice to the club in a lot of aspects.

"The chairman talked to me about marginal gains, something I am used to being involved in, with the high performance area of the Scottish FA, and wanted to talk about going on a new journey here for the next few years. That is exciting."

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Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina21131246
JapanJapan175830
United StatesUnited States16171346
Olympics flagOlympic Athletes from Russia11151137
AustraliaAustralia1031427
Great BritainGreat Britain891128
Today's Olympic highlights header

Sunday's key events


GOLF
· The men's golf reaches its conclusion, with plenty of players still in medal contention. Home favourite Hideki Matsuyama is one shot off Xander Schauffele's lead, while Great Britain's Paul Casey is another shot further back and Tommy Fleetwood is also in the mix (11.30pm-8am)

CYCLING - BMX
· Great Britain have already made history in the BMX events in Tokyo, something Charlotte Worthington and Declan Brooks will be looking to add to in the women's (2.10am) and men's (3.10am) freestyle finals

SWIMMING
· The final day of swimming action begins with the men's 50m freestyle final. Ben Proud could add to a medal-laden Games in the pool for Team GB so far, although he is up against USA's Caeleb Dressel, who is going for his fourth gold in Tokyo (2.30am)
· From sprint to endurance, Great Britain's second medal hope of the day comes through Daniel Jervis in the men's 1500m freestyle final (2.44am)
· Team GB will again be among the heavy favourites for gold in the last swimming event of the Games - the men's 4x100m medley relay final - having won the mixed event in a world record time on Saturday (3.36am)

BOXING
· Already guaranteed at least a bronze, Pat McCormack takes part in the men's welterweight semi-final against Ireland's Aidan Walsh with a spot in the gold medal final at stake (4.03am)
· Ben Whittaker is also in the semi-finals of the men's light heavyweight and will be looking to continue Team GB's success in the ring (4.51am)

TENNIS
· There will be a surprise on the top of the men's tennis podium after Novak Djokovic missed out on a medal altogether. Alexander Zverev takes on Karen Khachanov in the second match on Centre Court at the Ariake Tennis Park (7am-2pm)

SAILING
· Alison Young will be going for gold in the women's laser radial medal race (7.33am)

ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
· Team GB's Max Whitlock will look to defend his 2016 Olympic title in the men's pommel horse final (10.41am)

ATHLETICS
· The men's high jump final includes GB's Tom Gale, although his chances of a medal look bleak (11.10am)
· So often the blue-riband event of the Olympics, the men's 100m final takes place as the world's fastest bid to be crowned Usain Bolt's successor. Three Brits have made it into the semi-finals (11.15am-11.32am), and the final looks wide open after an underwhelming display by favourite Trayvon Bromell on Saturday (1.50pm)

HOCKEY
· Great Britain face India in the men's quarter-final (1pm)

> Today's schedule in full
Todays Game Header Right
EFL Cup
Scottish Premiership
Taca da Liga
Pre-Season Friendlies
Belgian Pro League
Swiss Super League
Russian Premier League
Ukrainian Premier League
Swedish Allsvenskan
Danish Superliga
Belarusian Premier League
2.Bundesliga
Major League Soccer
Brasileiro
Copa Diego Maradona
Uruguayan Primera Division
Liga MX
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1RangersRangers11003033
2Hearts11002113
3Dundee10102201
4St Mirren10102201
5Ross County10100001
6St Johnstone10100001
7Aberdeen00000000
8Dundee UnitedDundee Utd00000000
9Hibernian00000000
10Motherwell00000000
11Celtic100112-10
12Livingston100103-30

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